5 Million Guzzlers Still on US Roads

The Car Allowance Rebate System was undoubtedly an applaudable initiative, with many hundreds of thousands of Americans trading-in their old cars for a new and more efficient one. But there's still a dark side to the programme: an estimated of 5 million gas guzzlers, and we mean here vehicles with very large displacement engines produced 30 or 40 years ago, are still on the US roads.

Why? Because the CARS scheme does not allow people to exchange vehicles manufactured before 1984. The question still remains: why? Well, classic car enthusiasts across the United States said that old vehicles should not be destroyed because they are part of automotive history, so they should remain untouched.

Additionally, the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) emphasized that in case the government allows older cars to be traded-in, it could affect business of companies that sell aftermarket parts or provide services for classic models.

"We are very pleased that Congress was able to include that in the program," said Stuart Gosswein, director of regulatory affairs at SEMA, was quoted as saying by the Detroit News.

Still, consumers are still disappointed that some of their "clunkers" are not eligible for the programme. Chris Hurst, who owns an 1981 Ford F-150 is now forced to sell his car for no more than $1,600 because it didn't qualify for CARS. The car is powered by Ford's biggest V8 engine, the aforementioned source noted, which basically translates into huge fuel consumption and big emission figures.

"If we could have gotten that rebate, it would have worked perfectly for us," said Hurst.